A school in Brooklyn has decided to start teaching handwriting again. Seems that New York City schools in their ongoing quest for excellence had quit teaching handwriting.
“No time,” they said. I’m sorry. Are there somehow less hours in the day than there used to be? How did our teachers, back in the day, manage to find the minutes in the day to teach us to write our own alphabet.
“Keyboards,” they said. Yeah, because we know how well keyboards work when the power goes out.
And then there’s the classic “My kid can’t do it right, so obviously it must be discontinued” argument. Hey, here’s a teaching moment for both you and your kid: Some times, things we have to learn in life aren’t fun and don’t come easy. Deal with it. I hated handwriting. I still have a bump on my writing finger. Guess who has two thumbs, is now a writer and does his creative writing long-hand with pen and paper … this guy!
And now one school is going to bring it back. Well, what will they think of next? Teaching kids American History? Most annoying is that one of the program directors said they’re going to rely on singing and dancing to make it “fun.”
How about focusing on the writing, you idjit? Huh? That’s your problem right there with education today. “Oh, it’s supposed to be fun.” They’re kids. Sit ’em down, shut ’em up and teach them to write their damn letters. They have the whole rest of the day to have fun. Like in math class.
And, while we’re at it, get off my lawn.
KEN WHEATON 